Brothers Reunited
by Piper Julian
Summary: Salim loved his brother... he just had a hard time showing it. Shows insight into Salim's point of view during Jamal's phone call and the events afterwards that reunited him with his brother after about five years of seperation.


Disclaimer: I do not own Slumdog Millionaire.

Based on the scene where Jamal calls Salim. This is Salim's side of the story.

… Start.

Today had been like any other day for Salim. Ever since he had left his brother years ago, he had joined an endless cycle of death and misery. He was now a murderer several times over and nothing could ever change that.

On nostalgic days, he would often wonder where his brother, Jamal, was. The last time Salim ever saw him was when his brother's large brown eyes stared up at him from the floor of a dirty hotel. He had betrayed Jamal's trust several times over, but he didn't want to see his brother end up dead. Salim was not foolish to think that he was entering the good life. He knew he would never have been able to protect Jamal from the hardships of the city. He probably would have been the cause of most of his brother's hardships. It would be better if Jamal went elsewhere.

On this particular day, Salim woke up at noon hour when his boss called him. He showered quickly and prayed in hopes of purging himself of his sins. He got to work at 1:00PM and by 7:00PM, he had killed three people.

Salim didn't feel bothered by it. All three of his victims were like Maman and deserved what they had coming to them. That was the only thing the twenty year old liked about his job— he got back at people.

He ended up at his boss's house by 9PM and watched Latika and other girls perform for the gangster's employed by Javed.

Normally he would dance with some of the girls and end up sleeping with one, but tonight he didn't feel like partying. He never bothered looking at Latika. He had not slept with her since that fateful day he tossed his brother out. He had woken up sober and guilty for what he had done. Naturally, he had blamed Latika for everything that had happened and brought her into the same terrible lifestyle he was doomed to have.

He left shortly after arriving. He went back to his small apartment and turned on the television. He scoffed at the stupid programs and turned the television off. As he was heading off to bed his cell phone suddenly rang.

On the other side some fool was babbling about phones…

… He tried to pay attention, because he really did need a new phone deal. But there was something familiar about that voice… Something he hadn't heard in five or so years.

"… f-family." The voice finished stuttering.

"Jamal?"

He couldn't believe it. It was his brother!

The other side was painfully silent for a few moments.

"Jamal…?"

He tried talking to his brother. He needed to see him. It had been the biggest mistake of his life to leave his brother behind. They were the two musketeers. He shouldn't have sacrificed everything for a drunken night with Latika.

They ended up planning to meet in a construction site. It was one of Javed's, so he didn't have to worry about getting shot down.

…

They met. He was smoking a cigarette when suddenly a figure appeared and stopped several feet away from him. The boy was obviously not a construction worker. After a few careful seconds of analyzing, Salim realized for the first time in years he was staring in to the eyes of his baby brother.

They talked and Salim became very much aware that Jamal still loved Latika and was angered about what happened.

"I'm going to look after you, Jamal." Salim said after a while.

Jamal, who was sitting down with knees brought up to his chest, looked up at him in disbelief.

"I've found you again, now I'm not letting you go." Salim said.

He really meant it too. Salim had no intention of letting his brother slip back into the crowded streets of Mumbai and disappear for years on end.

His brother looked too skinny and like a light breeze could blow him over. While Jamal did have a mean right hook, there was no way that his brother could survive.

People like Jamal were taken advantage of in India. Jamal was too naïve despite a lifetime of hardships. His brother could be a model and his experience with men like Javed and Maman meant that wasn't a good thing. He didn't want to think about what happened to Jamal in there years apart. He had a gun to help him get by and a several powerful mobsters backing him up. Jamal had nothing… or so he thought anyways.

He managed to get Jamal to come back home with him. Seeing his brother doze beside him brought a smile to his face. Without a look of contempt on his face, Jamal looked very much like the little boy from his childhood. It was hard to believe Jamal was now eighteen.

Salim still remembered the horrified face his brother made when he had killed Maman all of those years ago. He wondered what his brother thought of him now… or would think knowing that his brother had killed dozens more since then.

One thing was for sure, Salim could never let his brother run into Latika. That would ruin everything. Latika had always had a strange hold over his little brother and he didn't want to lose him to her again. He wished that after the Muslim massacre all those years ago, he hadn't feigned sleep and let Jamal let Latika join them in their shelter. Had she just died with the others, Jamal would still be following him and adoring him!

Latika had grown into a great beauty. Jamal had loved her when she was average looking, he simply wouldn't stand a chance against her now. Latika was older than him anyways. Jamal should have just given up.

Looking at his sleeping brother again, he wondered what had happened in those last five years. He wanted to know if people had hurt his little brother… it was bugging him.

The life of a gangster had let him know that what happened to Latika wasn't reserved solely for girls…

When the phone rang that night, Salim wasn't sure he wanted to answer Javed's call. His biggest fear was coming back to an empty house. He had no idea where to begin searching if his brother ran off on him.

… His little brother was familiar with Salim's personality. Salim always got what he wanted. He should be able to tell that Salim wanted his brother back. This time he wasn't letting go. He knew that girls were only for evenings and brothers were for life now.

He had to come up with a plan to keep Jamal ignorant of his job. Maybe he could get Jamal a job where he'd be safe and busy. So long as he knew where his brother was he was fine.

Salim had lost last time. Now he was determined to win.

… End.

Well… there's only one fanfic on Slumdog and I really felt compelled to write a bit on Jamal's and Salim's brotherly relationship. I think they are both great characters. I know that I hinted at bad things happening to Jamal when he was away from Salim, but that is realistic considering the area. I think it would be a worry of Salim's when they were reunited. I also think that Salim didn't want to lose his brother. He was drunk when he kicked Jamal out, so I think there is a good chance he was mad at himself for what happened. I also think that Salim hated Latika for stealing all of Jamal's attention.

Please tell me what you think.


End file.
